But she was unrepentant at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night, repeating the stomach-churning stunt in a dress apparently fashioned from strips of red meat and with a steak balanced on her head.

Animal rights workers have blasted Gaga yet again, urging her to ditch the meat-based clothing before she alienates all her vegetarian fans.

Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, says, "In that business Lady Gaga has been having a hard time keeping her act over the top. Wearing a dress made out cuts of dead cows is offensive enough to bring comment, but someone should whisper in her ear that there are more people upset by butchery than impressed by it -- and that means a lot of young people will not be buying her records if she keeps it up.

"On the other hand, maybe it was fake, and she'll talk about that later. If not, what's next: the family cat made into a hat?"

But Gaga is adamant her latest eye-catching outfit is not designed to offend, telling Ellen DeGeneres, "Well, it is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian ... And I am not a piece of meat."